The Sheriff and his Counselor
by lanie-love09
Summary: Just a short Richonne story I started thinking about while being snowed in. It takes place a month after the demise of Deanna and the Andersons, however Carl still has both his eyes.
1. Chapter 1: That explains it

"Carl…" a whisper was all Rick could speak as his son lay in the bed with a serious case of the flu."

He grabs Carl's hand gently when he says, "Carl, Denise says that you need rest in order to fight this fever off. To be on the safe side me and Michonne are gonna go check that community Daryl, Sasha and Abe ran across a few weeks back. They said it looks pretty untouched. I wanna see if there's any medicines that you and the others could use."

"I'm gonna leave you and Judith here with Carol but…I'll be back. We'll be back. I promise."

Rick leans over and kisses Carl on the forehead, then leaves the room quietly shutting the door behind him.

* * *

"Carol, I know that I've asked you one too many times to look after Judith and Carl…", Rick looks back over his shoulder as Michonne begins to pack their vehicle.

Carol stops him before he could finish his sentence, "Rick its fine, Carl will be fine. It's just the flu-" she pauses after what had happen when the flu spread through the prison. "It's not the same thing so don't go comparing the two. You and Michonne need to make sure to get back here before that blizzard hits. I mean if you go by that Farmer's Almanac, Daryl and Eugene…we could be snowed in for a while."

"All the more reason, it's not that far away; once we get back with some meds we should be alright if we do", he tells her. All our people are here…Michonne and I shouldn't be that long. We should be back by in a few hours and if not a few hours we'll definitely be back by night fall."

* * *

Rick drives up to the front gate and parks the car.

He takes a deep breath, "You ready to do this?"

Michonne turns to Rick and nods her head in agreement.

Daryl walks over to the driver side, "Ya'll good?"

He glance briefly at Rick and Michonne then eyes the gear they're taking with them in the back seat.

"You not taking very much are ya'."

Michonne grins at his ridicule, "I think we'll be good for a short sweep and search."

"Yea, well make it quick. I don't need no science teacher or a farmer's almanac to tell me when a serious blizzard on it way. The ground's been freezing just about every day for the past couple of weeks", Daryl looks around as flurries begin to fall, "I'd say you got about 5 hours before the wind picks up and it gets to white out conditions. And if it gets to white out conditions you won't know what direction to go in."

"We'll get back, don't worry. We'll be back before that happens." Rick promises.

* * *

After combing most of the neighborhood, Rick and Michonne finally meet back up at the car. The snows been coming down steady enough to cover the ground just about everywhere and the winds were increasing with every 30-40 minutes.

"So how did you do?" Michonne asks.

"Not bad, I got some Tylenol, Motrin, some cough drops some Oxycontin. How about you?"

"Same. Some aspirin, Motrin, a few bottles of cough syrup, a couple of boxes of tea and some jars of honey," she smiles while showing off one of the jars.

A laugh escapes Rick's lips as he takes a moment to enjoy Michonne's teasing.

But his gaze lasts longer than it should for someone he considers a close friend. In fact, he suddenly understands that his feelings for Michonne were much deeper than just another survivor with in Alexandria or another survivor in his core group.

Rick continues to smile; watching snowflakes fall along her eye lashes as she places the honey jar back in her bag.

"Did you see any walkers anywhere?"

Michonne lifts her head back up, "Rick…did you see any walker" she repeats.

"Oh", somewhat flustered, "There were a few but they were damn near frozen. Not a threat in the slightest", he nervously diverts his stare towards the sky to avoid embarrassment.

She diffuses the awkward moment by looking up at the sky as well feeling a little embarrassed for him,

"Judging by the winds hitting the trees", motions toward the ground, "…and the amount of snow covering the ground we should probably get back."

"Yea, there's one more house at the end of the block I wanted to sweep real quick. It's the biggest on the block."

Surprised that she missed it; Michonne asks, "Where?"

"Right after the stop sign. The bushes are over grown covering the driveway a bit but we can walk to the house."

* * *

The house was in pristine condition like time stood still for this house. The configuration of the living room was perfect for entertaining guests.

"Maybe they never made it back from vacation or somethin'", Michonne reasons.

Rick cautiously looks up the stairs and bangs on the wall for potential walkers, "Could be, either way let's grab what we can and go. I'll check out the upstairs, see what you can find down here."

After scavenging through the rooms upstairs; Rick comes down in to the kitchen with a pillow case full of medications and a large suitcase.

Michonne turns around from checking out the last overhead cabinet to see what he found.

He holds up the pillow case of medicine bottles, "Well, I'm glad we made a stop here."

Impressed with his find Michonne smiles, "I'm glad we did too. What's in the suitcase?"

He places the suitcase on the quaint kitchen table, "About 80 years in the federal pen before the outbreak", he opens the case and she sees close to 50 kilos of cocaine neatly packaged inside. "I knew there was a reason this house looked more upscale then the rest."

She pauses for a moment squinting one eye at Rick and then at the kilos; raising one of her eyebrows, "I don't think so", she tells him shaking her head no.

"Oh, hell no. That's called an 'illegal search', you have no probable cause to search this house for that."

Rick looks at her strangely, "What?"

"You heard me Sheriff".

Her debating tone gets Rick to laughing, "So that's what you did before, you were a criminal attorney?"

"Don't laugh," she chides walking back over to the pantry, "If that were my client I'd get him off with a fine and a slap on the wrist".

He closes the suitcase, "Well that explains it."

"Explains what", she stands back up with her hand on her hip; her head tilted with a playful smile.

Rick knew right then and there that Michonne had no clue as to how much she could influence him. Her standing only a few steps away with her hand on hip gave him the sudden urge to walk over and kiss those soft lips of hers.

But instead, he smiles down at the floor and shakes his head at his slip up, "It's nothing Counselor. I'll tell you about it some other time."

An uncomfortable silence engulfs the kitchen as Rick and Michonne stare at one another.

"Well, I'm thinking you could pack up the car while I do an 'illegal search' of the shed", she jokes walking out the kitchen patio door.

* * *

 _ **Fifteen minutes later**_

Rick notices the sharp drop in temperature loading the last of what they found in the house. The blizzard wins weren't far off now and they were quickly losing the daylight. He could see far enough down the road they were taking but he knew that wouldn't be the case in another hour.

He looks over at the front door to see if Michonne's about to come out but she doesn't.

Walking back in the house Rick starts yelling for Michonne. He makes his way to the kitchen patio to look in the yard.

A huge lump form in the back of his throat as he scans the yard. The heavy winds could've blown snow over her tracks. He worriedly pushes open the patio door, "Michonne" he yells over the howling winds.

He starts walking across the snow cover yard slowly; cupping his hands around his mouth yelling, "Michonne?" once more.

Just as he's about to take another step he hears, "Rick, don't move!"


	2. Chapter 2: Rabbit Holes

Michonne starts walking over to the shed; she looks around the yard unable to see anything on the ground but an inch and a half of snow.

She glances over her should towards the kitchen patio; a blushing grin radiates her face thinking about her and Rick sharing some whimsical banter every now and again. Or when time permitted it.

But this one was different; they casually shared something from their past that they could actually joke and laugh about.

A rush of feelings hit her at once when Deanna's words begin echoing in her head, _"What do you want?"_

As much as she wanted to love and be loved back; the anguish and betrayal she felt with Mike not protecting Andre', was enough that she vowed a long time ago that she'd never fall down that rabbit hole again. She knew if something like that ever happened again there'd be no coming back for her.

The idea of having to endure this already painful world with another broken heart was just too much for her to bare.

* * *

Bone-chilling winds thrusts her mind back to the task at hand, Michonne adamantly pushes thoughts of joy out of her mind and starts walking again; all the while saying to herself, "Nope no way in hell. I won't gamble with my feelings like that ever ag…"

She suddenly hears the sounds of cracking ice underneath her feet, she looks down at the snow.

Michonne anxiously scans her surroundings when another burst of snow blows in to her face.

Using her arms to shield her face from the snow; the jerking movement creates another crackling noise.

As she wipes the snow out of her eyes; she peeps the top of a shiny pool railing.

Swiftly looking back down at her feet she see and hears the crack as it pushes threw the snow covered body of ice.

Lifting one foot in order to step back is the final shift in weight necessary to cause a complete break in the ice; plunging her to the bottom of the in-ground pool.

* * *

Michonne's overcome with panic as her clothes quickly absorbs the frigid waters; before long the cold water begins penetrating her skin, sending shock waves through her body as sudden plunge sucks her deeper beneath the ice.

Her arms and legs begin flailing under water; she opens her eyes long enough to see the hole from which she fell but, her eyes start to burn from the aging bacteria in the pool.

She closes her eyes shut and hastily starts swimming back towards the light coming from the hole she briefly saw seconds earlier.

As she swims towards the top of the pool she feels around for the opening but, all she can feels above her head is ice.

Her efforts in trying to remain calm while searching for the opening are beginning to take their toll, she angrily begins to bang on the ice overhead.

Scaling across the ice with her hands she finally feels one hand emerge out of the icy pool water; she attempts to pull herself up but; the sword on her back keeps stopping her from pulling her body partially out of the water, causing her to fall beneath the water again and again.

Losing more and more body heat and energy as she fights to get out; Michonne manages to muster whatever strength she has left and thrusts herself up out of the pool to shoulders and breaking the apart the slab of ice that kept hindering her sword.

Placing both arms on either side of the hole on the ice to brace herself, she inhales as much air as possible as she catches her breath.

The ice under both her arms begins crackling so she holds her breath to restrict her efforts to move.

It's difficult for Michonne to see the kitchen patio because of all the blowing snow; she gingerly moves one arm and then the other to the ice in front of her. She instinctively tries to body crawl out of the water but, there's no progress. Every three inches she gains out of the icy waters she slides back two bring her back closer to the hole.

The next time she feels herself about to slide back; she panics by kicking her feet about wildly; propelling her further out of the water and on to the ice.

Only the tips of her boots remain submerged in the water; so she rests atop of the ice believing that she'd be alright taking a minute to rest but, she goes unconscious instead.

* * *

60 seconds later an ice cold shiver jolts through her body as the storm winds pick up in speed blowing snow throughout the yard again.

She slowly lifts her head trying to recall why all of the sudden the limbs on her body were so difficult to move.

Michonne hears Rick calling for her in the distance faintly.

One minute was all it took for her body to become camouflaged by snow so that he couldn't see her.

Every motion she takes feels like she's lifting an extra heavy weight.

She hears Rick calling her name once more but this time it's much closer.

"Rick stop! Don't move", she screams.

* * *

Rick stop abruptly as he shields his eyes from the blowing snow to see where Michonne's voice was coming from.

He finally looks down and sees her desperately trying to pull herself further up on to the ice.

"Jesus!" He quickly bends down in the spot where he stood and he extends his hand, "Give me your hand", he yells.

She advances herself a little more; then grabs his hand.

Quickly pulling her up off the ice he tries to stand her up but she collapses in his arms.

He touches her neck and cheeks, "God damn it Michonne! Your skin is freezing!"

Draping her arm around his neck, he begins dragging her back to the kitchen patio.

Once inside he gently sits her body on the couch; runs upstairs to get some blankets or towels to wrap around her body for the ride back.

Rick returns down stairs with a two king size down comforters; he runs over to her and quickly starts placing them across the front of her body.

Before he picks her up and over his shoulder, he leans over and looks in to her face, "Michonne…Michonne can you hear me?"

She doesn't respond.

Rick begins to lift her head from off the back of the couch and holds her cold wet face in both hands, "Shit! God damn it Michonne! Don't do this to me. Not right now!"

He hears the panic in his own voice; so he whispers softly, "Please baby, please wake up. Open your eye's Counselor, just give me a sign that you're still with me", he pleads touching his forehead to hers.

In a faint murmur, Rick hears her softly babbling, "Judge Scofield, this...this is a classic case of illegal search and seizure…they've…they've been harassing my client…"

She starts fading out again, "Oh no, no, no, no. Come on Chonne' we gotta get back home." He urgently hoists her on to his shoulder wrapping the ends of the comforters around her back.

* * *

Rick gently props Michonne against the car so he can open the passenger door.

After placing her inside; Rick rushes around to the driver side only taking a second to glance at the blizzard that's now on their backs with intermittent glimpses of the fading daylight.


	3. Chapter 3: Transparency

**_Hi,_**

 ** _I had no idea people were still in to my Richonne drabble. Thanks for reading. Your comments, (no matter what), are always appreciated._**

 _ **Cheers,**_

 ** _Lanie-Love_**

 **Chapter 3: See through**

Rosita jogs from Carol's house over to Daryl on the perch. He's been keeping watch for when Rick and Michonne come back.

Just as she's about to approach the ladder she slips on the ground letting are a high pitched "Oof!"

Daryl leans his head out from the two-man hutch on the perch and sees Rosita standing up slowly cleaning snow from off her backside.

He chuckles as she begins climbing up.

"You aight", he asks while helping her up.

"Yea", she starts fastening the buttons on her coat so her neck's completely covered, then begins to lightly stomp her feet for warmth.

"How's Carl?"

"He's seems good. Carol said that his fever broke a little while after Rick left and now they're in the living room watching some dvd's", she tells him.

Daryl pulls out a cigarette, "Who's they?"

"Carol, Enid, Carl, and Maggie".

"Good, one less thing to worry about."

As Daryl shields his lighter from the wind while lighting up his smoke; he peeps the inquisitive look on Rosita's face. He watches her profile as she looks down the road then, up at the sky.

"So any word from them", she asks, "I think this blizzard is coming on faster than Eugene predicted."

"They aint that far away", he reminds her, "Whatever we're seeing, they seeing it too."

Rosita becomes very silent and looks down at the hole in the palm of her glove, "Daryl?"

Daryl picks of one of the rifles and peers through the scope, "Yea?"

"Did you notice anything happening between Sasha and Abraham on that run when you guys were leading the walkers away?" She asks.

He puts the rifle down and plucks the ash on is smoke, "Naw, I didn't see anything…nothing that would've made me think that they would move in together."

"Oh", she skittishly pretends to wipe a snowflake out the corner of her eye then, places her hands in her coat pockets.

He knew it was a tear and felt bad for her; It was clear that Abraham had used Rosita as a place holder until he found what he wanted.

After finishing his smoke he throws it over the fence and lightly bumps shoulders with her, "Hey, you haven't heard that men are like walkers, there'll be another one any minute".

Rosita quickly turns her head to hide her watery eyes and chuckles at Daryl's idiom. She turns back around, "Yea, your probably right…" she looks down the block as a walker passes, "…They'll always be more."

"Uh-huh, always", he reiterates.

"Is the sun going down, or are the clouds blocking the daylight?"

Daryl squints his eyes at a tiny light off in the distance, "Probably a little of both…say do you see a tiny light down the road?

Rosita squints as well, "Hard to say, can't see nothing but snow blowing all over the road now. They need to get back here fast. Real fast."

* * *

Rick's speeding down the road towards the safe zone; the wiper blade on the driver side was the only one working, impairing visibility of the road.

"Michonne, Michonne can you hear me. Chonne'", he shifts his eyes back and forth between the road and Michonne.

He reaches over and shakes her awake, "Michonne can you hear me?

"Rick, I'm fine", her teeth begin to chatter, "I'm just really, really cold. D-did you turn on the h-heat?"

"I did! I have it on high; you can't feel the heat?"

Michonne can her the stress and fear in Rick's voice so she lazily lays her head on the headrest and shifts her head to the left. She wants to see his face before she answers.

She observes the detail in his strong jawline and his perfect lips; but when she blinks her vision becomes blurry and jumbled.

"Michonne! Michonne, can you feel the heat blowing? Can you feel my hands?" he asks.

She looks down towards his hands.

"Can you feel my hands, Chonne? Can you feel the heat blowing on your hands?"

Michonne didn't want to scare him any more than the sound of fear that was in his voice; so she quickly answers, "Oh yes, Yes I feel it now. I 'm good."

Rick slowly pulls his hand away from hers; judging from her lethargic manner, Rick could see she was either lying or she was in a delusional state.

The sound of static begins to air on the walkie-talkie.

"Rick is that you?"

Rick reaches for his walkie-talkie on the floor, "Daryl, can you see me?" He flashes the headlights.

"If you're those blinking headlights speeding toward us then yea."

"Good…is Carl alright, is Judith o.k.?"

The blustering winds starts breaking up their transmission, "Daryl?!"

"Yea, they're fine. Carl's fever broke a little while after ya'll left. He's watching movies with Enid, Carol and Maggie. Everything alright?" Daryl asks.

"No, Michonne fell in a pool of icy water, I'm trying to keep her a wake. Listen get Denise to my house quick. Then get some of our people to help with unloading the car.

Daryl turns to Rosita; but Rosita is already making her way down the ladder, I got it."

"And Daryl…"Rick pauses waiting for his reply.

"Yea", Daryl starts making his way down the ladder.

"There's a large suitcase in the bottom of the trunk", Rick pauses remembering that there are other survivor's out there that maybe listening to their transmission, "Make sure to grab it and keep it somewhere safe."

Daryl hops down the last three steps, "Copy that, make sure to honk the horn twice when you get to the gate."

Rick confirms, "Copy that."

* * *

The sound of sibling rivalry erupts.

 _"…Carl…Carl, stop teasing your sister and set the table"_ Michonne yells _._

The brother and sister hit each other back and forth for a the while as they come in to the dining room.

Carl fakes Judith out of the last tap past Michonne as she brings the turkey out on to the table.

 _"Boy!"_ She snares.

Suddenly a clean shaven Rick Grimes comes down stairs; his final step sounding as proud as his strength and longevity.

 _"Alright, let's get this party going! There hasn't been a walker herd seen in a two mile radius from all directions, and the temperature is gonna drop below freezing…"_ Rick walks in to the dining room as Michonne's placing the turkey on the table, " _Damn them breasts look so good…_ ".

Rick runs up and grabs Michonne from behind by the waist, _"Yours look good too"_ , he whispers.

Michonne looks over towards the kitchen door and turns around to face him. She removes her pot holders and rubs her hands through his hair and kisses him, _"You'll never see these breasts…"_ , she kisses him again, _"..if you mess with he breast on my bird."_

He displays a look of gritted obedience, _"Fine…"_ , he places soft kisses on her neck, _"Because I've got a surprise for you."_

 _"Oh, really"_ , she answers between lip locking.

The doorbell rings and she pushes Rick off, _"I told everybody to come for dinner tonight."_

Michonne walks out the living room and towards the front door.

Rick positions himself to see her face when she opens the door.

Carl and Judith just so happen to chase one another in to the front door foyer.

Michonne opens the front door and she sees Mike dressed in a police uniform with his left hand holding the right arm of her son, two year old Andre'.

 _"Did you forget about him, Michonne? Michonne? Michonne?!"_

* * *

"Michonne? Michonne? Michonne!" Rick yells.

His voice startles Michonne out of her unconsciousness.

Upon opening her eyes, she's quickly reminded of how cold her body is.

"What", she answers.

"Stay awake Michonne, if you go to sleep your body will shut down."

Rick becomes silent for a moment, "I know you can't feel my hands Michonne…why won't you tell me when you need help. Why won't you tell me when you need me?"

Michonne shift her head to look out the window, the blizzard blowing passed her window in the early evening with no more than the reflection of the car headlights…feels tranuil and majestic.

* * *

A few minute later, Rick and Michonne arrive at the front gate.

"Hold on Michonne, we're just waiting for them to open the gate", Rick says before honking the horn twice.

The blizzard has been in full swings for the past 5 minutes. Snow drifts had been forming outside the gates.

"Chonne'…Counselor?" He questions in a quiet, mono tone whisper.

Michonne turns her face towards Rick's, her body's need for warmth has taken over as her body completely as it vibrates from the loss in temperature.

She smiles, "I forgot about Andre'."


	4. Chapter 4: Coming in from the cold

Michonne's reality starts moving in slow motion as she watches Rick's face look back and forth between her and the road while driving through the gate. She wrinkles her brow at how slow his speech sounds when he asks her twice, "What? Who's Andre'?" Michonne, who's Andre'?"

Her brain activity is slowing down; the view of unfolding events moves as though it's a daydream.

She gazes out the car window watching the slow dance of the blizzard.

The short burst of cold air that hits her face as Rick jumps out the car doesn't jolt her at all. Her eyes become heavy as she tries to remain conscious; she can hear the voices of people talking outside the car but she doesn't have the will power to pay attention to the words.

As she starts listening to the howling wind of the blizzard, she starts closing her eyes.

* * *

"Listen there's a pillow case full of prescription meds, get them to the infirmary and anything else that you think could help Denise. Abraham help me grab Michonne!", Rick yells.

He looks around at Daryl, Abraham, Glenn and Heath, "Who's getting Denise?"

"Rosita went to get her", Daryl begins grabbing items from the trunk.

Rick rushes over to the passenger side door; when he opens it he sees Michonne closing her eyes, "Oh, no! Michonne don't go to sleep." He turns to Abraham, "Help me carry her in the house."

As they begin taking her out the car Rick sees Rosita and Aaron running towards them, "Where's Denise?"

"Eric has a ruptured appendix. Denise is in the middle of surgery, but I can help I've dealt with hyperthermia before", Aaron yells.

"Shit, alright what do we need to do?" Rick asks.

Aaron starts instructing Rosita, "Go inside and get the fire place going and push away everything so there's enough room to put a mattress in front. Then grab as many blankets and towels as you can then find something dry and loose fitting we and put her in."

They finally get Michonne out the car; Ricks yells towards the back of the car, "Everything else bring inside house and don't forget to grab her sword and the rest of the stuff in the backseat".

* * *

Aaron pulls 3 heating packs out of his pocket while holding the door for Rick and Abraham, "Lay her down on the couch, Rosita start taking off her clothes. After that start patting her skin dry with the towels. Rick, you and Abraham get a mattress and lay it down in front of the fire."

Rosita starts to cry while trying to undress her, Michonne lips were close to a dark blue and her movements bordered on unresponsive.

Once she has Michonne undressed she begins patting her arms and legs with one of the towels. She whispers under her breath, "Come on, Michonne you home now. Feel the towel on your legs? You've come too far to go out like this."

A few minutes later, Rosita dresses Michonne in an extra-large T-shirt then wraps Michonne's hair tightly with another towel.

Aaron comes from out of the kitchen with a bowl of the heating a packets from his pocket, "That's good, you wrapped up her hair we don't want anything cold or wet touching her skin, especially around her neck." He grabs a smaller towel; wraps one of the heating pads with it and places it under Michonne's neck.

"Do the same thing with those", he points to the bowl, "Then place one under each of her underarms." He grabs Michonne's hand and presses on the tips of her finger to see how fast the blood flows back.

"Help me get her on the floor in front of the fire, her blood flow is too slow."

Before they could move her, Rick and Abraham come back in with the mattress and place in in front of the fire. Rosita and Aaron lay Michonne's body on top.

Aaron places the heating packs back in on Michonne then he begins to placing multiple blanket on her tucking the edges underneath her to restrict any body movement.

Rick looks over at Aaron and Rosita, "Well how is she?"

"I pressed on her finger tips; the blood rushed back really slow. If her blood were circulating normally the blood would've rushed back the minute I removed the pressure. But like I said, it did rush back so the only thing left to do is wait." Aaron explains.

"I saw her eyes flutter for a second or two, but nothing to confirm that she's there", Rosita adds.

The front door opens wide letting out the heat that's built up in the living room, Daryl walks inside.

"Close the door! Hurry up!" Rick and Aaron yell.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry", Daryl closes the door, Listen we need some help pushing the car in to the garage, the engine won't start and we're pushing against the wind.

"You two go, Rosita and I will stay until you get back Rick."

* * *

After pushing the car in to Ricks garage, Heath asks, "Alright we good? It's fucking cold and I wanna get back before I can't see shit."

"Yea, go ahead home." Rick tells him.

Glenn, Abraham and Heath take off; Daryl's about to close the door when Carol starts calling for Rick on the walkie.

"Rick…Rick, you need to come by here. Carl was watching through the window when Michonne was being carried in to the house. He's getting dressed to come over. I told him to stay but…"

"Damn it! Alright tell him I'll be right there", Rick releases his finger from the walkie button, "Daryl, help me make a rope path from here to Carol's.

After grabbing some rope out of what used to be Jesse's garage; Rick and Daryl make a path from Rick's place to Carol's then over to the infirmary and armory.

Rick uses the rope path to get back over to Carol's just as Carl's about to leave for home.

"Carl!" Rick yells, "Hold on!" He makes his way on to Carol's front porch.

"Dad, what's wrong with Michonne?"

Carl's face looked better than when he last saw him but he still looked sick. Rick didn't want to lie but he knew that Carl would do something even more dangerous if he didn't believe him.

"Michonne and I were searching a house, she went out back to look in the shed and fell in a pool. It was an in-ground pool, completely covered with snow."

"Is she gonna be alright?"

"That's what Rosita and Aaron are trying to do right now."

"Why didn't Denise go and help her!" Carl starts coughing.

Rick opens the front door and ushers Carl inside the house and closes the door behind the two of them.

"Listen Carl, the last thing that Michonne wants is for you to come out in the middle of a blizzard while you're sick. Just stay here while the storms going on. Get some rest, by the time this storm passes you'll be somewhat well enough to come back to the house."

Carol, Maggie and Enid stand in the living room doorway as Rick explains why Carl should stay.

Carl looks at the them then back at his father angry because he knows his father is right, "You call the walkie and let me know how she's doing", he grabs the walkie talkie out of Carol's hand then walks upstairs to the bedroom he's staying in.

Rick was about to call Carl on his rudeness to Carol but, she raises her hand, "Don't worry about it Rick, he's sick and angry; two things that don't help one another at all. Go home and let us know how she's doing."

Daryl and Glenn open and close the front door immediately, "God damn it's cold as shit out there", Glenn announces while taking his hat and glove off.

"Hey, the rope set pretty good, you better get back before it gets any worse out there", Daryl walks over to Rick while Maggie walks over to help Glenn take off his coat.

He whispers, "I put that suitcase in the basement utility closet."

Rick taps Daryl shoulder, "Thank you."

"Carol you let me know if he gets worse, Aaron said Eric had a ruptured appendix so Denise is in surgery", Rick says while bundling back up.

"Of course and you keep us posted on how Michonne's doing. The walkie's are about to run out of juice so I say we do one more update in an hour, then we charge them over night. Everybody can check in around 8 in the morning.",

Carol walks him to the door, "Yea, that sounds good."

Rick walks out the door grabbing rope path making his way back to Michonne.

* * *

Rick reaches his front door and sees a sign , "Go around back, DO NOT open the front door."

So he enters the house through the garage.

Once he makes his way to the living room he sees Rosita on the mattress hugged up against Michonne and the fire place was hardly lit.

"What happened to the fire?"

Rosita wakes up, "Oh, something's wrong with the flue in the chimney. One of the flaps won't open so it piles up with snow and wets down the fire."

She stands up in her pants and bra.

She reaches or her shirt, "Aaron wanted to get back to Eric so he left a while back. I didn't know what to do about the flue so I figured the next best thing was body heat."

Rosita puts her shirt back on, "Come here take off your shirt and lay down close to her while I start the fire again."

Rick quickly removes his shirt and shoes then lays down next to Michonne.

After Rosita gets the fire going she says, "The flue's wide open so the fire's gonna burn out faster. Let's hope it burns hot and long enough to bring he body temperature back up."

Rick listens while pulling the covers over himself and Michonne, he wraps his arm awkwardly around her waist as she continues to lay flat on her back.

"I'm gonna go", Rosita tells him.

"Go out through the garage and around to the front. There's a rope path that'll lead you to Carol's and the infirmary."

Before leaving Rosita says, "Make sure to let us know how she's doing".

* * *

Rick feels the heating packs to see if they still have any warmth, they're luke warm. So he removes them from under Michonne's underarms and turns her over so she's laying on his chest.

He starts rubbing her back slowly trying to keep her body temperature warm and steady.

Between the sounds of the storm outside and the crackling noises coming from the fire; Rick feels at peace holding Michonne in his arms.

"Who's Andre' Michonne? Who's Andre'? You seem to know me like a book but I don't know anything about you", he quietly says to himself.

"You function like you don't need anybody; I never have to worry about you being out there on a run or fighting off walkers cause I always know you're coming back but…" he glances down at the towel wrapped around her head, "…I didn't expect something like this to happen to you. I'm always thinking there'll be more time to get to know you.

That's one of my biggest flaws; waiting for an opportune moment; you'd think I'd learn my lesson by now…waiting for the perfect moment to say how I feel about yo-…", he pauses a moment remembering how he missed the chance to make things right with Lori.

"I'm using the groups need for survival as an excuse to avoid feeling anything other than attachment."

Rick lifts Michonne's hand to press the tips of her fingers hoping to see a normal blood flow. He analyzes the softness of her hands and the tiny scars that have formed from her swinging her sword. Then rubs his lip with her fingers.

"The irony of it is that this is the moment I've been waiting for, but", he chuckles, "…you're unconscious."

He places her hand back beneath the blankets, "Look, I need you here with me. I know you don't need nothin', I know you don't need anybody. But the truth of it is that you make me better. And I need someone like you to keep me grounded in this scary world. I just wish somehow you needed me just as much as I need you."

Rick wraps his arms around her and quietly doses off to sleep to the sounds of the blizzard outside and the crackling sounds coming from the fireplace.


	5. Chapter 5: Free fallin

Michonne wakes up to the sound of Carl's voice coming through the walkie-talkie, "Dad…Dad it's been an hour. Is she alright?"

She reaches over Rick's head and grabs the walkie from off the floor, "Carl, I'm fine. Just really cold. Your father's asleep."

Carl hears Michonne's voice and instantly relaxes, "Are you really o.k?"

"Yeah, I think so. What about you? How are you feeling?"

"I'm better…my head still feels heavy but, I feel better than I did this morning", he answers.

"Good, go get some rest and I'll have rick call you in the morning,"

"You really o.k.", he repeats.

"Yes. Go to bed and I'll come and see you in the morning.

Carl hands the walkie-talkie to Carol.

"We're supposed to charge the walkie's overnight then pick up transmission at about 8a." Carol tells her.

"I'll make sure it's on. Take care of Carl."

Michonne gets up to place the walkie on the charger in the kitchen when Carol adds, "Michonne…I'm glad you're alright…It be really hard on all of us if we lost you."

Michonne stops and looks at the walkie talkie, "Thanks for that Carol, I…I needed to hear that. I'll talk to you in the morning."

After placing the walkie back on the charger, Michonne walks back in to the living room trying to rub the chill from her arms and shoulders. She stares at Rick on the mattress then looks over at the fire place.

She pokes at fire to liven it up so there's a steady blaze.

Michonne tries hard not to look back at Rick; she hated the fact that she wanted to lay back down in his arms again…but she really did.

The last time she needed someone; it was Mike and he disappointed her horribly. But she craved the feeling of someone holding her. Someone wanting to protect her and to keep her safe. She wanted to feel like her life was valuable, that her life mattered. Not because she was great at surviving and great at saving others but, because " _she_ " mattered.

Michonne sighs to herself admitting her weakness and crawls back under the blankets with Rick. She removes the towel from her head then use one of her locs to make a loose ponytail.

She then lays back down on Rick chest grabbing his arm to place around her like it had been before.

Cuddling up with Rick on the mattress in front of the fireplace. She hopes to achieve that level of security that she's been without since the death of Andre'.

* * *

 _ **Four hours later**_

Rick open his eyes to the smell of smoldering ash, he looks down at Michonne laying on his chest.

The fire is all but out and Michonne's holding him tightly across is torso fast asleep.

He smiles and breathes a sigh of relief as he realizes that she's alright. He notices that the towel around her hair was gone and the walkie-talkie was back on the charger.

The house was still and quiet the on light in the living room came from the dying fire.

In that perfect moment of silence; Rick kisses her forehead out of a gut reaction to knowing that she's o.k.

His kiss on the forehead slowly wakes Michonne out of her slumber.

She tilts her head up in response to Rick's kiss.

They look at one another's eyes then at each other's lips.

Rick raises his hand to her face and delicately kisses the lips that he's longed to kiss since their close relationship began. He wasn't confident that a kiss from him was what she wanted until she brings her hands to his face.

As their kiss grows stronger; Michonne did something that she hadn't done since before the outbreak.

She allowed herself to be vulnerable to what she wanted.

In between the long and languid kisses she tells Rick, "I need help in this mess…I need you."

The words from Michonne lips ignited something in Rick that he hadn't experienced since before the outbreak.

He moves his hand from her face and places it underneath her loose fitting shirt and begins to brush his thumb over her nipples, causing her to moan ever so softly.

It was the middle of the night; there's a blizzard in full swing and there wasn't a soul in the house except theirs.

Rick quickly helps Michonne remove her t-shirt revealing her exquisite mahogany skin.

He marvels at the texture and color of her flesh. He mentally notes every octave of her moans as he lightly swirls her nipples with his tongue.

The sensation of his tongue hits her like a bolt lightening bringing the temperature of her body core to normal and then beyond.

He gradually drags his hand down her stomach and stops at her swollen bundle of nerves; his fingers revel in the soft wet folds that surround her "mini me".

Michonne threads her fingers through the curls in his hair, and starts to gasps at this rush of pleasure.

Rick lifts his head to see her face as he pushes two fingers inside her soaking wet cave.

Her eyes close lethargically from his penetrating fingers; the satisfaction of being able to provide desire to this woman is exhilarating enough alone for Rick.

But when Michonne starts reaching down to unbuckle his pants Rick knew that Michonne wanted him just as badly as he wanted her.

Somehow the two managed to remove his pants between kisses; Michonne reaches her hand down to feel the hardness of his erected tool.

Her hands on Rick's member felt close to heaven; Rick knew if her hands felt like the touch of angels then being fully inside of her had to feel like nirvana.

And he had to find out what nirvana felt like.

Michonne was never one to be aggressive in the bedroom but knowing that the world was the way it was, she felt somewhat empowered by stroking Rick's member.

Rick grabs her hands and positions himself for entre'.

As he makes his way inside of her, there's a look of pain on her face that prevents him from going any further.

He abruptly stops and pulls himself away, "No…this isn't right, you're not ready for…"

"No…it's not that", she cradles is face with her hands, "…it's just been a long time since I've done this."

She caresses Rick's jaw, "You asked me to tell you when I needed you…back at that house" she kisses him again, "Well…" she kisses him some more, "… I need you, right now", she whispers.

Rick pushes through her years of being out of practice; after a few long gentle thrusts Michonne arches her back in silence as she quickly grows accustomed to the feeling him inside of her.

His movements are slow and gentle at first then her soft wetness of creates the exact mold for the path that his about to create.

Her leaking nectar the eases the tightness around Rick's thrusts making his actions more fluid and faster.

He kisses Michonne once more while raising one of her legs over his shoulder.

Michonne falls deeper and deeper in to Rick's thrusts, the waves of bliss engulf her, as she breathlessly whispers, "Yes Rick, yes!"

The position that the two are in are more than perfect for Rick; but when Michonne observes the look of closing on his face she stops him, "Wait!"

He stops in mid thrust, "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I wanna switch."

Rick looks at her oddly, "Huh?"

Michonne pushes him to the mattress then slowly sits upon his harden member.

The sounds of gratification are released from their lips as she gyrates with his standard fully deposited inside.

He instinctively places his hand on her hips as she makes sure to drive Rick deeper inside; he moves one hand to her clitoris while the other pinches her nipples.

"Oh, god" Michonne moans, "Oh my god, Rick" she screams.

Rick tries to maintain as Michonne explodes in complete gratification but, as soon as her walls flood his path he has no restraint on his own climax.

He quickly holds on tight to her hips as she starts riding out her orgasm causing him to release his essence to explode deep inside of her.

* * *

Michonne plops down beside Rick after having spent up all the energy she's built up over the past four hours.

Coming down from her high she immediately becomes nervous from her display of vulnerability and her confession for need him; she quickly thinks of a reason to get up, "I'd better get myself cleaned up before daybreak, I told Carl I would come see him in the morning."

Rick grabs her arm, "No."

She looks back at his hand on her wrist then at him.

"No, the sun won't be up for a while. There's no need to run away from me, I wanted this just as much as you did."

Michonne doesn't fight her fear of being emotionally invested in Rick.

"Come here" he tells her.

Michonne lays back down on her side face to face with Rick.

He runs his finger down her nose, "You scared me earlier falling in that pool. The thought of you never seeing you alive again…made me realize how important you are to me."

Tears start forming in Michonne's eyes, "I can't take another betrayal; I won't make it if I have to walk this stupid earth again knowing the pain of betrayal again."

Rick looks at her oddly then wipes her tears with his thumb, "Don't cry Counselor; as long as there's air in my lungs…I'll never betray you."

As Rick starts kissing Michonne's tears and reservations away; it's clear that for the first time since the end of the world began, these two harden warriors were willing to take the long shot at finding happiness in a world dominated by the walking dead.

 _ **A big "muah" to all that read my short Richonne drabble.**_


End file.
